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Tarot
cards are actually cards with attractive pictures on them.
Even today, despite considerable research, it continues
to remain vague despite considerable research. The concept
of Tarot Cards dates back some 500 years ago. It is often
however is thought to have Egyptian origin. But it is
Greek mythology, moral, spiritual and mystical elements
which actually form the backbone of Tarot cards. The images
and imagery portrayed on the card reveals hidden things
about our life.
The
images on the Tarot, and the interest in predicting events
through symbols, dates back to ancient Egypt and even
older civilizations, right across the world. Tarot may
have travelled to Europe from the Middle East at the time
of the Crusades, in the 12th century. The earliest surviving
Tarot deck, however, comes from 14th century Italy, where
an Italian nobleman had a deck hand-painted as a present
for his daughters' marriage.
The Tarot calls for a set of cards which may be used either
for divination, or as a philosophical instrument for answering
almost any kind of question put to it through a medium
or someone familiar with its powerful symbolism. Tarot
cards show the major themes of life, and what we can learn
about ourselves. Each card is called Arcanum, which means
'mystery'. The pack consists of two quite different, though
not totally unrelated, groups of cards, totalling 78 in
number.
In
addition to 22 major cards known as the Major Arcana,
there are four suits of cards -The Suit of Cups (symbolizing
water), The Suit of Wands (symbolizing fire), The Suit
of Swords (symbolizing air ) & The Suit of Pentacles
(symbolizing earth) -- which form the Minor Arcana.
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